Fifteen Lamassu Statues and Stunning Reliefs Unearthed in Ancient Nineveh, Iraq

Archaeologists uncovered lamassu statues and bas-reliefs astatine Tell Nabi Yunus successful past Nineveh. Credit: Iraqi Ministry of Culture

Archaeologists person made singular finds astatine Tell Nabi Yunus, Iraq, a tract located conscionable southeast of the past metropolis of Nineveh. The 2025 excavation campaign, led by a German squad from the University of Heidelberg, has revealed recently unearthed architectural and sculptural remains, including 15 colossal lamassu statues and intricately carved chromatic reliefs from an Assyrian palace.

The findings were revealed during an authoritative sojourn by Ali Ubayd Shalgham, president of Iraq’s General Authority for Antiquities and Heritage, who toured the excavation tract astatine the bosom of past Nineveh—once 1 of the top governmental and taste centers of the past Near East.

Palaces of power

The uncovered palace structures day backmost to the reigns of 3 large Assyrian rulers—Sennacherib (704–681 B.C.), Esarhaddon (680–669 B.C.), and Ashurbanipal (669–626 B.C.). These kings presided implicit the tallness of the Assyrian Empire, transforming Nineveh into a sprawling metropolis adorned with royal palaces, temples, and monumental gateways that projected imperial mightiness crossed Mesopotamia.

Among the astir singular discoveries is the façade of a throne country decorated with elegant bas-reliefs. The carved panels show a precocious level of artistry and method mastery, revealing the precision and accomplishment of Assyrian craftsmen.

Remains of the colossal lamassu statues. Credit: Iraqi Ministry of Culture

The scenes, which apt depicted royal ceremonies and subject triumphs, erstwhile served arsenic almighty symbols of divine authorization and the spot of the empire.

Guardians of the empire

Equally striking is the find of 15 lamassu—mythical winged bulls with quality faces that stood arsenic protectors of Assyrian palaces. Twelve of these monumental figures stay successful their archetypal positions.

Some were sculpted from azygous blocks of stone, portion others were assembled from aggregate sections—a uncommon method successful precocious Assyrian architecture that highlights evolving operation practices of the 7th period B.C.

This colossal winged guardian, known arsenic a lamassu, was unearthed during excavations successful bluish Iraq 🇮🇶—a stunning remnant of the Neo-Assyrian Empire.

How were past civilizations capable to carve and transport specified elaborate and monolithic chromatic sculptures with the tools of their… pic.twitter.com/tJGXVjrzX9

— Before the West (@beforethewest) October 5, 2025

The beingness of specified a ample fig of lamassu successful 1 analyzable offers caller insights into Assyrian architectural and spiritual traditions. These hybrid creatures, combining the spot of a bull, the wings of an eagle, and the intellect of a human, were believed to defender palace entrances against evil forces and symbolize divine extortion implicit the empire’s rulers.

Preserving Iraq’s past legacy

Shalgham called the discoveries a large publication to Iraq’s humanities and creator heritage. He praised the collaboration betwixt Iraqi archaeologists and the German mission, emphasizing that planetary partnerships are indispensable to preserving and studying the country’s taste treasures.

He besides commended the accuracy of excavation, documentation, and restoration efforts, noting that cautious conservation and integer cataloguing volition guarantee the semipermanent extortion of the site. Tell Nabi Yunus, helium said, remains important to knowing the roots of Mesopotamian civilization and the creator powerfulness of Assyrian rule.

Rediscovering Nineveh’s greatness

The latest findings corroborate Tell Nabi Yunus’s cardinal relation successful the Assyrian archaeological landscape. Located successful a strategical country of past Nineveh, the analyzable was portion of the empire’s governmental and subject network.

Its monumental design, decorative richness, and symbolic sculptures bespeak however Assyrian kings utilized creation and architecture to asseverate their authorization and divine legitimacy.

With the uncovering of the 15 lamassu and recently revealed reliefs, Nineveh erstwhile again stands arsenic a testament to the ingenuity, ambition, and enduring bequest of 1 of history’s astir almighty civilizations.